This 87,000 square foot upscale retail center in Las Vegas was originally specified to receive a monochromatic marble tile floor. Through value engineering of a combined effort between the terrazzo contractor and the architect, the owners were able to achieve a decorative epoxy terrazzo floor of 3 earthy colors, separated by 4 accent bands of stone and marble that cut through the floor in arcs to draw the customers through the mall. Even with the introduction of this multiple colored terrazzo design, the owner was still able to save a significant amount of money converting from the original marble tile. To provide the terrazzo floor with a “Las Vegas sparkling look”, substantial Mother of Pearl was used to enhance the primary terrazzo colors. The stone and marble inlay curved bands were all individually set pieces, with the edges cut in place to form the arcs, grouted with epoxy matrix, and bordered by 1/4″ zinc strips. Thousands of lineal feet of cast-in-place terrazzo curbs were used at the planters. The tree bases involved manual placement of individual pieces of river rocks, grouted with terrazzo matrix, then ground and polished in place by skilled technicians via specialized hand tools. This required grinding off 1/2″ of the stone and terrazzo to expose a cross section of the rocks. With a design of “sophisticated simplicity”, the overall aesthetics and functionality of the terrazzo are truly impressive.

The National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association, Inc. is a full service Non-Profit Trade Association headquartered in Fredericksburg, Texas. The Association establishes national standards for all Terrazzo floor and wall systems and provides complete specifications, color plates, and general information to architects and designers at no cost.